As one can ascertain, a pressure switch is a device that closes or opens an electrical contact when the pressure is above or below a certain preset threshold. By connecting this switch to a lamp, or other indicator, the operator can immediately discern, in a coarse way, if the pressure or normal or not. Other typical uses of such switches are driving the coil of a relay, driving a logical input circuit and so on. Such pressure switches are utilized in many environments, such as in automobiles, airplanes, and for other purposes where a pressure indication is a desirable feature to monitor.
Although the information provided by a pressure switch does not have the accuracy of the pressure transducer, these switches accomplish an important reliability function. Very often, they are used in parallel with the transducer to provide valuable backup information in case of transducer or indicator failure. Such use is very common, for example, in aircraft systems, where the correct pressure is critical and the wrong pressure can cause an immediate flight abort in order to avoid a crash.
As indicated, the pressure switch gives an indication that a monitored pressure has exceeded a predetermined value, but does not really indicate what the pressure is. Assuming that the reading of the pressure indicator in a flight critical system shows zero pressure, by observing the status of the lamp connected to the switch and the indication of the other instrumentation in the system, the pilot can safely conclude that the pressure is probably correct, but either the transducer, the indicator, or the wiring failed. Conversely, if the lamp activated by the switch indicates a wrong pressure, the operator can look at the transducer indication and determine if the pressure is correct or not.
Numerous switches are simple electromechanical devices. Typically, they comprise a Bourdon tube connected to the pressure source, which activates a snap action microswitch. Although simple and relatively inexpensive, these mechanical switches have serious shortcomings. Some of the shortcomings are: poor accuracy of the trip point, poor control of the hysteresis, poor stability versus temperature, poor stability in time and otherwise, poor reliability, i.e. contact failures open or close. Due to these weaknesses, the mechanical switches are being replaced by electronic solid state devices. They are made using a piezoresistive bridge to sense the pressure, an electronic circuit to amplify the output of the sensor and a comparator with a pre-set threshold which drives a bipolar transistor or MOSFET, which is the actual switching element.
The characteristics of the electronic switches are significantly better than the mechanical counterparts. Especially important is their reliability and stability whereby many systems use only such switches instead of transducers. One feature missing from these electronic or mechanical switches is the ability to check if they are working or not before the pressure is turned on. Thus, as one can determine, before a flight, one must really determine whether or not the pressure switch is operating correctly. This is especially true in regard to aircraft operation, as wrong pressures can be extremely critical and cause accidents and fatalities.
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to determine whether a pressure switch is operating before a flight commences, in the case of an aircraft.
It is a general object of the present invention to check a pressure switch utilizing a shunt calibration technique to determine whether or not the pressure switch is operating properly.